Southern (NYSE:SO) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.01 EPS

Southern (NYSE:SO) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The utilities provider reported $0.55 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by ($0.01), FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $6.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.41 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 12.52% and a net margin of 15.42%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.50 earnings per share. Southern updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.200-1.20 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance to 4.500-4.600 EPS.

Southern Stock Up 3.3%

NYSE:SO traded up $2.97 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $94.01. 6,668,440 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,105,556. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.75. The company has a market capitalization of $103.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.28, a P/E/G ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a fifty day moving average of $88.35 and a 200 day moving average of $91.31. Southern has a twelve month low of $83.09 and a twelve month high of $100.83.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.74 per share. This represents a $2.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Southern’s payout ratio is 73.27%.

Key Stories Impacting Southern

Here are the key news stories impacting Southern this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company raised Q1 2026 guidance sharply to $1.20 (vs. Street ~$0.83), signaling stronger near-term earnings visibility and support from large-load customers. Southern Company reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings
• Positive Sentiment: FY 2026 EPS guidance was updated to $4.50–$4.60, slightly above consensus (~$4.45), which supports a higher multi-quarter outlook. Southern Company reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue came in above estimates ($6.98B vs. ~$6.41B), showing top-line growth (+10.1% YoY) that helped offset a slight EPS miss. Press Release / Slide Deck
• Neutral Sentiment: Georgia Power (a Southern unit) filed rate cases seeking lower customer costs beginning in June — regulatory moves that reduce customer bills but can affect timing and structure of utility recovery. Georgia Power filings
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage consensus remains a “Hold,” reflecting mixed analyst views despite guidance upside. Consensus Recommendation
• Negative Sentiment: Reuters reports Southern forecasted annual profit below some analysts’ estimates while also raising its five-year spending plan to support demand from large-load customers — higher capex and a below-consensus profit outlook are potential near-term headwinds. Reuters: Forecasts below estimates, raises spending plan
• Negative Sentiment: Southern missed Q4 EPS by a penny ($0.55 vs. $0.56 expected), which, along with year-over-year declines in certain GAAP metrics, tempers the upside from guidance. Zacks: Misses Q4 earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Company reported lower Q4 and full-year 2025 GAAP earnings versus the prior year (press release), underscoring some operational and timing pressures. PR Newswire: Q4 and FY 2025 results

Institutional Trading of Southern

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in Southern by 18.7% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 34,459,462 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $3,004,866,000 after buying an additional 5,436,212 shares during the period. Soroban Capital Partners LP lifted its position in Southern by 83.8% during the second quarter. Soroban Capital Partners LP now owns 4,097,422 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $376,266,000 after purchasing an additional 1,867,912 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in Southern in the fourth quarter valued at $131,968,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its position in Southern by 1,518.4% during the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,044,101 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $95,880,000 after purchasing an additional 979,587 shares during the period. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. raised its stake in shares of Southern by 790.6% during the 2nd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 811,737 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $74,542,000 after buying an additional 720,589 shares during the last quarter. 64.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SO has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded Southern from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Southern in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. KeyCorp reduced their price target on Southern from $87.00 to $76.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $105.00 price target on shares of Southern in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Southern in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $94.91.

About Southern

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.